Memories of the Heart
by Gemini-2006
Summary: Kairi has a destiny she has to fufill, this is her story and Riku and Sora can only wait until she returns,she is responsible for finding the hearts of the ones who cared for her the most. possibly KairiZexion
1. A journey to ones soul

Okay was thinking about Kairi and how you never saw her around any of Ansem's apprentices and then I remembered that she would know or at least recognize some of them from when she was a child. So I decided to write this fan-fiction it's about Kairi and how she wants to go on her own journey. I wonder if a lot of people thought of this shrug if they have here's my version.

Kairi sat atop a stain glass platform amidst complete darkness. Turning in circles all that she could see was total darkness, it reminded her similarly of when her nobody Naminé and taken her through the darkness to Sora and Riku.

"Hello?" She cried out and jumped when a large familiar door appeared in front of her. She approached it cautiously only then noticing the large picture on the platform.

It was her.

It was a large picture of her laying sleeping or just with closed eyes, a slight smile on her face that seemed sad. Small separate circles held portraits of six men that she didn't know. Not dwelling on the picture she walked towards the door and as soon as she laid her hand on its handle she heard a distant voice that echoed in the darkness.

_This door leads to forgotten memories, be prepared if you wish to enter._

Kairi gulped and gripped the door tighter and flung it open reading herself as a bright white light engulfed her.

The light faded and as soon as it did she recognized the library of Hollow Bastion…"No wait" she told herself "Radiant Garden".

Ansem the Wise sat at the table with her Grandmother reading over stacks of books. Ansem spoke up first his face buried in a book.

"Now Granny where do you think little Kairi is at this time" He commented.

"Ahhh yes she should be coming soon" The old lady said. Kairi went to stand in front of them and knelt down in front of her Granny whom she hadn't seen in a long time, since she moved away.

"Gran…I'm right here" Kairi tried to lay a hand on her Grandmothers, but hers was completely translucent. Suddenly there was a loud bang that made the two elderly people jump.

"Heeeeey hold on little chickadee or you'll fall off and hit your head, and I don't think the old geezer would like that" the voice sounded young almost surfer like , the young man who it belonged to had long dark purple hair pulled back into a ponytail that the little girl he had on his shoulders played with fondly.

Kairi's eyes widened.

She couldn't believe that she had been that small, she didn't remember ever knowing a man like this. Whom she seemed to be so comfortable around.

"Granny…Granny" little Kairi screamed while running to her Grandmother.

"Look what Bleig got me" Little Kairi held up a red headed doll with big lavender eyes.

"Wow that's quiet a doll it looks just like you Kairi" Ansem replied as the little girl climbed onto her Grandmothers lap.

Kairi looked at herself and slowly began to remember the doll, that along with some other things she had left behind when she went to Destiny Island.

"Hey Hey chicky don't get to comfortable…you still got more" Bleig said as he hoisted Kairi off Granny's knee and threw her in the air.

"Really what else can there be" Ansem said with a big smile. Bleig smiled and covered little Kairi's eyes.

"It's a surprise" He said.

There was another burst of white light and then Kairi was standing in the ball room full of balloons and a large table with many people gathered around it.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAIRI!" The room shouted. Kairi looked towards a large birthday cake that said happy fifth birthday.

Her fifth birthday.

How can she not have remembered her own birthday?

So many people she didn't know or didn't remember. A tall blonde man with blue eyes and glasses, A boy around her age with dark blue hair covering half his face, A man as tall as a tree with flaming red hair, Another young man with long black hair in braids that lay long against his back.

They may not all have had a look of utter joy but they smiled kindly as her younger self blew out her birthday cake candles.

"Now Miss Kairi you may open your presents if you wish" Said the braided one, which Kairi learned his name was Dilin.

"Of course she wants to open her presents" Bleig stated and picked up a small metallic pink box.

"We all pitched in to get you this Little Kairi….Ienzo saved up is allowance for a whole month…and you know how very little we get from Professor Ansem" The blonde with glasses, Even, said as he handed it to the little red head.

Kairi and her five year old self gasped at the same time as Even pulled out the necklace she now wore around her neck. Kairi absently reached a hand to touch it as she watched as her Granny fastens the chain to her tiny neck.

"That's where this necklace came from" She said softly as the bright light engulfed her again. This time she was standing on the shores of Destiny Island with a younger Sora and Riku. She was older by about two years.

"So you don't remember where your old home is" Little Sora asked.

"No…All I remember is my Granny and that she gave me this necklace…I can't remember anything before that" Little Kairi said while drawing small circles in the sand.

"Well either way…we know that you came from another world…there are more worlds out there and maybe we can find your home one day when we go out exploring those new worlds" Riku said his eyes shining in the sunset.

"That's okay…I'm happy I've found a new home" Little Kairi said with a smile.

Another flash of white and Kairi was back upon the platform, and lying on the ground in front of her was the beflowered keyblade Riku had handed her when she had the desire to help and protect Sora.

_This is a tool to return lost _hearts_; this is your destiny if you chose to accept._

"But…I...what am I suppose to do with this" Kairi cried out, But something in her own heart told her what she needed to do. She picked up the Keyblade and held it gently in her hand as the flower like keychain dangled in the air.

"Purity" Kairi smiled as she watched a flock of doves take off into the darkness.

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"Heeeeey….Kaiiiirrrri….wake up all ready your going to be late for school" Shelphie cried from in front of her window.

Shelphie put her fist to her hips and gave a deep breath. Just as she was about to scream Riku and Sora approached her looking at her oddly.

"Uhhh Hey Shelphie what's up…Kairi not up yet" Sora Said fidgeting with his navy school uniform.

"I don't know I've been screaming for her for about fifteen minutes….do you think she's sick" Shelphie looked worried.

"Well we'll just have have a look see" Riku said as he walked up Kairi's porch and felt along the top of a window seal for a hidden key

When he found the Key Riku unlocked the door and walked into Kairi's house.

"Hey…hey…hey…Riku how did you? Wait…this isn't" Sora cried as he and Shelphie followed Riku upstairs to Kairi's from.

The house was completely silent and as They opened Kairi's room door all that they saw was the pink and purple painted walls, her purple blanketed bed, the scatter of clothes her and there, and a letter leaning against her desk lamp as the sun rose through her balcony window in cast a strange light on the letter catching their attention.

"Hey look a letter!" Shelphie perked up and ran over to it picking it up and reading as Sora and Riku looked around the room.

"Could she have gone to school earlier" Sora asked Riku.

"Maybe…" Riku began but was interrupted by Shelphie's shrill scream.

"EEEEKK….Shelphie what's wrong" Sora said from where he had jumped onto Kairi's bed.

Riku reached for the letter that had drifted to the floor and picked it up to read. As his eyes skimmed the single page and his eyes widened.

"Hey Riku what's up…it's a note from her read it out loud" Sora asked.

_Dear parents Sora and Riku_

_I know this may come as a shock to you all, but I've decided to leave to follow my destiny. Don't come looking for me, please. This is something I have to try and do on my own. It may seem selfish of me, but I feel that I must do this. Please forgive me. Sora and Riku have walked their paths. Now its time for our paths to fork again. But don't worry they'll join again as they always do. _

_I'll come back to you._

_Sincerely Kairi._

"WHAT!" Sora gaped.

"She left to do something it seems" Riku said calmly.

"WHY ARE YOU SO CALM ABOUT THIS? I'M FREAKING OUT HERE!" Sora tugged at his hair and Shelphie began to cry.

"I trust Kairi to protect herself…she's a strong girl…and plus she has her Keyblade. We survived on our own" Riku said as she took the note and opened the balcony window.

"No…you do understand…we weren't alone…I always had Donald and Goofy, You had the Darkness and Diz….You and Kairi always with me too….Kairi's all alone" Sora said as he followed Riku out onto the balcony.

"No well help Kairi with her mission by believing in her... none of us are ever alone…she can always open the door to the light if she needs us….we are connected by our hearts" Riku seemed to space out a bit.

Sora sighed.

"I guess your right…you no what Riku…you've changed….a lot….I always wanted to ask you about something….do you really like…." Sora was caught off guard as Riku flung himself of the balcony and landed on the street below and smiled up at Sora.

"Get Shelphie and hurry it up we'll be late for class" Riku said and stared runny down towards the school.

Sora sighed again

"He's avoiding my question"

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Kairi spotted the bright glowing surface of the world even before she finished coming through the door to the world.

Radiant Garden.

"This is where you brought us" Kairi said to the be flowered Keyblade. It responded it the light twinkle of its keychain.

Sora had told her that many people from Transverse Town had returned to there home Radiant Garden. She wondered if Squall or Yuffie or Aerith would remember her. Oddly enough she didn't want any of them to remember her.

She landed on the world and exited the little gummie ship that she had put together from the blocks she had found floating in the sea.

The Market Square.

A splitting head ache made Kairi grab her head as white lights flashed behind her eye lids.

(Flashback)

Two children one around eight the other barely six ran through the market the oldest pulling the youngest along.

"Ienzo-kun slow down a bit…I can't keep up"

"Miss Kairi I would advise you to keep your voice low incase they find us" The navy haired eight year old pulled Little Kairi behind a stand of cabbages.

The astral form of Kairi watched as Ienzo pulled something from his white lab coat and present it to little Kairi.

The fluorescent pink glow was unmistakable.

It was a heart.

"Wow Ienzo…what is it" Little Kairi asked awed and reached for it.

Ienzo jerked it away.

"It's a heart….its beautiful isn't it…but you mustn't touch it" He said in a low voice.

"Do all hearts look like this" Little Kairi asked.

"No…some are larger…some are darker….but I think yours would be the most beautiful of all Miss Kairi…your heart is pure and untainted….but I wondered" Ienzo eyes grew dark and menacing.

"Miss Kairi…would you like to see something cool" He asked.

Kairi had a moment back in the real world before her white out again.

This time she remembered where she was. It was a lab (The one that Squall found not the one near the heart of the world) a dark and scary lab. Astral Kairi watched as her former self clung to the white sleeve of Ienzo's coat as the walked through the laboratory.

"Now Miss Kairi what ever I show you, you must not mention to anyone…understand?" He looked at her so seriously it scared her but she nodded.

Ienzo flung the doors open to a more lightened area and Little Kairi eyes grew wide in horror at the dark shadow like monsters that prowled in their cages. Once a clawed hand reached out to grab her but she shrunk herself against Ienzo as small as she could and whimpered.

"I-I-Ienzo-kun…what are they" She closed her eyes and wept.

"They are the darkness in peoples heart….they are the heartless…when a person or being loses its heart…theses things are born…the darker the heart…the more powerful the heartless….do they frighten you Miss Kairi?" He grabbed her by her shoulders and placed her in front of him right where the claw reached for her. She was barely inches away and she could feel the darkness of the being crawling along her skin. She wanted to scream but the pressure was too much.

"Look at it Miss Kairi…it is nothing but the evil things in a person's soul…I want to know….can a Princess of Heart….someone devoid of any taint in their heart become like this…can a person like that ward away the evil, can she cure it…can she become tainted herself" He began to sound crazed.

"NO STOP IT!" Astral Kairi shouted.

"Ienzo…you're scaring me…please" Tears streamed down the child's face.

"Fear, anger, hate…these are the things that form darkness in your heart Miss Kairi…you must not fear the darkness…or you will become like them" He nodded towards them.

"No please stop I don't understand" little Kairi cried louder.

"STOP IT NOW!" Astral Kairi screamed just as Ienzo's hand gripped firmly on her shoulders.

"GIVE YOUR HEART TO THEM!" Ienzo shoved Kairi into the now many out reached claws and she disappeared into their dark embrace as they all made a small ripple of shadows.

(End Flashback)

"NOOOOOOOO!" Kairi shot up out of a small soft bed a brown blanket covering her midriff.

"She heard a loud clang and a "Oaf" somewhere in the large room. Kairi eased herself out of the bed and looked at Cid on the floor his wheelie chair thrown against the wall.

"Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to scar you….are you all right…here let me help" Kairi bent and helped him get up.

"Aint no big problem…though you screaming did take me for a loop…so tell me why were ya passed out in the middle of the Market like that…you should thank Aerith…she and Squall found yah lay'n there.

"Oh...well I just had a really bad headache…um…Do you remember me?" She just had to ask.

"Well of course I remember you…you're that gal that was with Sora back at Transverse town …you just disappeared and we didn't know what to make of it." He smiled though and pointed to some sandwiches that were on the small cluttered table.

"Eat up….Squall should be here any minute…" As if he heard himself being called Squall walked in and upon seeing Kairi awoke sighed in relief.

"Your awoke thank goodness…I thought you might have had a concussion" He walked over to the large computer in the corner and typed something in.

"No I'm okay…Umm….I" Kairi started but was interrupted.

"What are you doing here…where is Sora…he didn't come did he…?" Squall asked while looking at her. Kairi became angry.

"Sora doesn't need to follow me everywhere I go…I just…had something to take care of…well if you excuse me…I thank you for your hospitality but I must be going" Kairi quickly popped a sandwich into her mouth and stood up , bowed and exited.

"What just happened?" Squall asked and looked at Cid.

"I think you offended her" Cid said as he sat back in his wheelie chair Squall ran out to Kairi.

"Wait…I just want to help you…I was worried something else had happened to Sora…is this about Sora?" He asked.

"No it's not…but if you want to help me you can show me the way to the old castle" Kairi said sweetly.

"What why would you want to go there, wait never mind…It's your business and not mines… I'll show you the way.

------------

In the Dark Depth's there was still the lingering pulse of Darkness that put pressure on Kairi's chest.

"What happened here" She asked Squall.

"You feel it to? Well there were thousands of heartless pouring out of the old castle and I guess their aura is still here…that and Shepiroth and Cloud had a battle here…they leave a mark where ever they fight." Squall ran a glowed hand through his hair and gazed at the ruined castle.

"You going in there…they may still be heartless lurking around there, Want me to come with you?" Squall looked over to find Kairi lowering herself down to another ledge and then another. Keyblade in hand.

"Heh…I guess you wont need me…be careful" Squall waved and turned to leave.

"Wait Squall…don't go back and call Sora, Riku, or anyone else…and if they ask where I am…don't tell them Okay" Kairi yelled from her ledge.

"Okay" He simply said and moved on.

As she shimmied down the side of the cliff Kairi wondered to herself why was she here, climbing down the side of a cliff, to get to a crumbling old castle.

Why?

Because her heart told her to.

It happened again, the sudden headache and white flashes and Kairi lost her grip on a rock and slipped. Falling.

(Flashback)

Little Kairi was pulled from the dark wriggling grabbing claws by strong, warm arms and hoisted high and carried like a baby. Astral Kairi saw the faces of the four other men who had celebrated her birthday. The Man Dilin was the one who was holding her small form away from the reaching claws.

A loud sound of flesh on flesh was heard as Bleig punched Ienzo and Even grabbed him by the collar bending down to meet him at eye level.

"What were you thinking…Kairi could have been hurt or worse killed her heart stolen and never found, You've been like this for a while now…since that Xehanort character was found…and you convince the Professor to continue these experiments with him….why would you do something like this?" Even yelled.

"I wanted to know" He said plainly.

"What…you were willing to use Miss Kairi as an experiment" The large red head Eleus roared.

"I wanted to know if truly pure hearts could be tainted or stolen by heartless" He looked Even in the eyes and smirked.

"You wanted to know too…didn't you…we're all scientist here…we thrive on finding knowledge and this may be the biggest find we ever will have…to learn about how the human heart and the heart of the worlds work together.

"What if something had happened to her…?" Bleig could barely control his anger.

"I would simply find the heartless that was the most powerful and kill it, returning Kairi's heart to her body" He said matter of factly.

"You haven't noticed have you?" Dilin said softly.

"What?"

"Have you noticed that the people we brought down to the door would turn into heartless…but their bodies disappeared" He answered.

Ienzo's eyes went a bit wide.

"Do you mean…that I wouldn't have been able to return her back to normal after her heart was gone" Ienzo feel a little limp against Even as realization dawned on him.

(FYI: remember they wouldn't know that a princess of heart body just doesn't have a heart and is unconscious and it doesn't disappear because she doesn't become a heartless)

"Kairi would have been lost to us forever" Even said unknowing of the fate he would choose in little less the a day.

(End)

Kairi lifted her head and felt the large lump that was forming on the back of her head.

Her head was killing her…luckily this cube of soft whatever-it- was had softened the blow to the ground and prevented her from being a bloody smear on the rocks.

She touched the wiggly stuff and watched it wiggle and dance. She made a weird face and was startled when she heard a voice behind her.

"Hey girl stop touching that…it's not a play thing" Kairi didn't know the face the voice belonged to, but she was sure he wasn't dangerous. He didn't look like he could take on a three day old baby in his condition.

His hair was a dirty blonde color and shaved a long the sides and formed into a rocker style, his eyes were a strange aqua blue. Nope she didn't know him, she was sure. Kairi didn't know any blonde haired, aqua eyed, rock stars.

"ummm are you okay…you look terrible… do you need me to heal you?" Kairi asked and walked closer to him.

The look he gave her was priceless. Disbelief, thankfulness, shock and confusion all in one look.

"Wow…that's nice of you, I uhhh…never knew people where that nice, I mean come on the damn kid didn't even have the manners to finish me off…I was sure I was the last one after I couldn't get back to the city…but then the old ones popped up here…I don't know why, I should leave them to die but…I cant…Oh man look at me I'm rambling" He seemed a little ditzy but Kairi smiled sadly at him and proceeded to pull potions from her bag until she found the Elixir she was searching for.

"You're from that Organization aren't you? Well don't worry…I think I'm here to help…" She smeared some of the elixir on his wounds then made him drink the rest.

"You **think**?" He made a face of disgust as he swallowed the elixir.

"I'm not sure really…I just knew that I had to come here…something guided me here…maybe it was my heart" She sat with her hands on her knee's her legs tucked under her as Demyx looked her over.

"Your heart?...is that what made you help me…your heart…that's what we were looking for…some big door where all hearts go…we wanted to find our own hearts…you know…become normal" He stood up and went to the big cube of jelly and scooped some in a bucket holding it out to Kairi.

Kairi accepted the bucket and held it staring at it oddly.

"Well you seem to have a heart already" She said as he scooped some more of the not-quite-liquid into another bucket. Demyx stared at her for a while.

"That's impossible…I'm a Nobody, Nobody's don't have hearts…we weren't born with one…what would make you say that anyway" Demyx made a face and stared to walk towards a small opening on the side of the large castle. Kairi ran to catch up to him.

"Well…you're ummm… helping your friends…." Kairi started.

"Humph…comrades more like it…they aren't my friends…" Demyx was cut off by Kairi.

"But your helping them…even though their not your friends, your helping them, having compassion is only one of the things it means to have a heart…you have enough of a heart to help when help is needed…I think you do have a heart" Kairi said smiling as she passed the stunned Demyx as he stopped in the very same room where Sora fought Maleficent.

As soon as Kairi entered the room where the door to the heart of the world was another splitting headache caused her to slump against the wall she faintly heard Demyx's voice.

"Hey are you all right…he…y"

(Flash Back)

"Miss Kairi are you all right…are you awake" It was Eleus and he was trying to rouse a sleeping Kairi.

"You must awaken…something terrible is going on…the others…they are changing…" He lifted her from the bed gently. Astral Kairi watched as her grandmother packed a small bag and King Mickey walk into the room.

"You must hurry….I can no longer contact Ansem the Wise…he is lost to us…You must take your daughter and flee to another world where they can not find her" He said to her parents as they grabbed her from Eleus.

"Wait…Ienzo wanted me to give you this" He handed Little Kairi a letter as she reached out for it from her fathers shoulder.

"Granny aren't you coming with us…you'll be safe" King Mickey said when the others had exited the room.

"No…I'm coming to my end soon…I would like to pass here where I can keep an ever watchful eye on everything…but good luck…put her somewhere safe"

"No problem…I've got the perfect place"

(End)

"Hey…girl you okay?" She felt Demyx's hand on her shoulder as she slumped.

"Uuuuhh yeah…come on we need to get this stuff to them right" She readjusted the bucket that had miraculously not spilled.

He looked a little worried but nodded and ran ahead of her up towards the large dais. Kairi heard familiar voices.

"Demyx you've returned…I do not understand why you continue to do this…we will fade away eventually" Vexens voice echoed through the large room. Kairi took a step up.

"Yeah what's with you…you should be running for the hills screaming that ya free from us old guys" Xigbar gave a harsh laugh and then coughed. Kairi heard the sound of something wet hitting the floor. She took another step.

"Boy…you should leave we no longer need your assistant in this matter" Xaldin's voice said angrily. She took another step.

"He is only trying to help…we should benefit from this and let him" Zexion countered in a low almost whisper. Kairi stopped frozen in her tracks.

"Wow…thanks for the gratitude" Demyx said sarcastically as he helped Xigbar.

"We are Nobody's we do not feel gratitude, it is a wonder you have stayed to help heal us" Xemnas's voice shot Kairi out of her daze and she didn't have enough courage to take those last few steps.

"Yes you have changed just a bit from when you left us to go after Roxas" Lexaeus said.

"Nah…it's just that somebody helped me realize something…" Demyx stopped and looked around at not seeing Kairi.

"Hey…she was just behind me….Oooh I hope she didn't faint again…wait a sec while I go find her" Demyx said after he sat Xigbar back against a pillar.

"Find who?…who have you brought?...you say she…so it's a woman" Vexen asked curious. Demyx tugged at Kairi's eyes and gave her a confused look.

After nearly two minutes she let Demyx hoist her up and guide her up the last couple of steps.

Kairi hung her head so she would have time to rearrange her face to an expression she would not look foolish in. She heard Zexion gasp.

"I…I believe I know this girl" He said and tried to stand up.

"What…how could you. I think that Riku replica hit you a little hard on the head" Xigbar huffed and gripped his side.

"Wait…she does look familiar…but why…how?" Xaldin squinted at her slightly he say the feint out line of blonde hair, blue eyes and a white dress.

"Naminé" Xaldin said alert now.

I hope you guys enjoy…I have another Kingdom Hearts 2 fanfic that's a play off of the story about the Sun and the Wind…( you know the one) read that one too if you want read & review.


	2. Shoot to Kill, Help to Live

I know its been a long time since I updated this story…sorry to all those who've waited on it…Just been busy…and I kinda got stumped on what's suppose to happen…okay well here you guys go.

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"Naminé?" Kairi questioned. The man with the long braid like hair stood clutching his midsection. He narrowed his eyes a bit and continued to stare. Now the blonde who had seemed to be paralyzed attempted to sit up and look at her.

Kairi's mind gave a shudder and soon she remembered them, all of them for who they where at this point.

"_Xemnas, Xigbar, Xaldin, Vexen ,Lexaeus,…and" _She heard Naminé's voice inside her head as she looked them over one by one until she finally stop at the young man with the royal blue hair. He gave her such a look that Kairi was sure he saw into her soul. He took a deep inhale of the air and stared at her now with a look of shock.

"She smells like Naminé…but she's…not" He said now understanding what she was.

"She's Naminés true self" Vexen inquired his head tilting to one side, most likely from an injury.

"Why are you here child?" Xemnas asked as he turned to watch Demyx tend to Xigbar. Demyx feeling eyes on him turned to give the Superior a shrug of his shoulders.

"I…I was brought here" She said, earning glances.

"By Naminé no doubt" The one Naminé had not given a name said.

"She brought this girl here for what…to finish us off…That would a blessing to leave behind all this pain" Xaldin said slumping a bit. Demyx stood suddenly and walked over to Kairi laying a hand on each of her shoulders and stood behind her with a happy grin.

"She's here to help us get our hearts back…" He said the others looked at him in disbelief.

"What?" Lexaeus said surprised a bit.

"Here to help us get back our hearts…how…Kingdom hearts can only be opened by the Keyblades chosen one…we have lost our way..." Xemnas corrected his eyes knotting at the thought of a prank.

Kairi felt her heart give at the hopeful yet skeptical looks on these people's faces, Naminé had known them, as she Kairi had known their true selves, and it was sort of odd to think of it that way. Did Naminé really guide her here to save the people who had shared her childhood memories with her? She didn't know, but she would do her best to try and help them.

Kairi stepped towards the one who looked beaten up the most and knelt before him rising her hands as a green glow emitted from her palms and laid them on the this mans burns and bruises.

Vexen eyed her with suspicion; he had known betrayal at the hands of Axel, Larxene, and Marluxia. He had never trusted anyone really, but he had thought that all of the organization held a sort of understanding within its ranks.

"Why help us…Naminé" He asked as the warm glow of cure healed his body. She frowned a little and deliberately pressed a mending bone to cause a low hiss to come from his mouth, he eyed her in shock.

"My names Kairi…not Naminé…" She said in a matter of fact tone. Giving Demyx a nod the two set upon the task of healing the injured and broken spirits of the once former older members of the Organization thirteen.

---------------

"Kairi….Kairi…why does that name sound so familiar" Xigbar asked as he rubbed his sore muscles. Kairi had left momentarily with Demyx to gather food for the surely hungry patients.

"I believe she is the child that we used to anger Sora to destroy heartless…Saix…"Xemnas was interrupted.

"You mean that crazy fellow who was always kissing your ass…" Xigbar put in. Xemnas chose to ignore him.

"Saix had informed me that Axel had gone after her…that she was the person who would fuel the anger in Sora…I somewhat remember my Heartless, who I think conspired against me to get Kingdom Hearts and use it for his own purposes, saying the same thing also, about her…this Kairi being the key to unlocking Kingdom Hearts" He said his brows knotting in thought.

"But why is she helping us…do you think it is because of Naminé?" Lexaeus asked as he stood and stared of into an empty corner.

"That may have something to do with it…but she knows something…something about us that we do not know" Vexen added rising to stretch his limbs.

"I like her..." Xigbar said earning glances from the others. He returned their looks.

"What's there not to like…I mean…it's just…there doesn't seem to be anything ill about her intentions…its sorta refreshing to be around someone who you know wont stab you in the back" He glared back at them and Lexaeus nodded in agreement to him. Xaldin turned as he heard Demyx approaching his chatter recognizable.

"Hey guys…I was just telling Kairi about how unlike Naminé she is…I mean sure they look similar…but when you get down to the knitty-gritty…their complete opposites…the only thing in their personality that's similar is that pure heartedness thing" He ran on his comments turning in to mindless chatter.

Kairi smiled and Xaldin and an uncommon head rush as he stumbled back a bit, that smile should have been familiar, her eyes, her hair, that necklace, and all those things he should have known. But he couldn't remember.

"Here…you should eat up…Leon questioned me a lot about why I needed all this food…I didn't know what you guys preferred to eat…here I even brought ice cream" She smiled again holding up a box of ice cream that Scrooge Duck had given her. Xaldins head only throbbed.

"You know you guys should say thank you Demyx and Kairi…We're so lucky to have had you guys here to help us…" Demyx said only earning nasty looks. He shrugged and went off to search for only god knows what leaving Kairi with this group of men who she knew yet didn't know.

"Miss Kairi…" Vexen said, causing a momentary pause. To Kairi the words seemed to make him more Even then Vexen, seemed to give her a glance of her pass with them. She silently wondered if she should tell them who she really was.

"Miss Kairi…we have been debating since you left to retrieve us nutrition, we can find no reasonable explanation of why you have come to aid us" He said Kairi was a bit taken aback.

"I just…want to that's all…maybe you'll understand when you get back your hearts" She said and stood Xigbar slapped her on her shoulder causing her to jut forward clinching her now stinging shoulder blade.

"Hey its cool, Those big words Vexen uses confuses me too…so...how do you intend for us to find our hearts little girl?" He pronounced as he ventured around the large open space of the platform of the Castles basement. He looked around it with curiosity a feeling of dejavu wrapping itself around him. As he turned he began to hear voices he had no memory of ever hearing.

"_Bleig…why can't I play in Ansem's basement anymore?"_ it was a child's voice he heard. Small and sweet like the tinkle of a thousand wind chimes.

"_Because chickadee…Ansem and us are doing research down there…it aint safe for a kid like you…go play with Yuffie some where I got papers to finish"_ It was a voice he knew…it was a voice so far off but close enough to touch.

"_Bleig you don't play with me any more…you're always doing research…IDONT LIKE THAT BASEMENT ANYMORE!" _The child screamed in a tantrum and ran off.

"Xigbar…Xigbar…what is wrong with you?" He heard Zexion's voice and felt hands grip his shoulder. He turned around to see that he was standing on the last few steps leading towards a large door.

That door…

"Miss Kairi…I think we must apologize to you...for the things we have done to you and your friends…" he heard Vexen finish. Zexion led him back down to the platform. Zexion also had a face of a person who was truly disturbed by something.

"Oh…no…that's okay…I understand…but…I don't know how I should start the search for your hearts…" she mused silently. Her hand suddenly shot out and there in her grasp was a Keyblade.

"Oh my" Vexen said standing as Kairi was pulled towards the large door that only moments ago Xigbar was standing in front of.

"She has a Keyblade?' Xemnas inquired in a hushed tone.

"Her Keyblade unlocks what is hidden, and finds what is lost…no matter what the obstacle is in its way" Vexen said with out realizing it. Xigbar stared his body telling him something was wrong.

"Whoa…wait hold on…" Kairi yelled at the Keyblade. Suddenly a light shot from the end of the Blade and fused into the Keyhole of the world. Xigbar could feel it. The darkness that was emitting from the yet to be opened door. He heard the sound of the door unlocking, he felt the world give a heart beat as it pulsed. He turned to look towards the others; they didn't seem to feel what he felt.

"_I DON'T LIKE THAT BASEMENT ANYMORE!" _He heard the child's voice again.

"_Chickadee…come on I'll play with you again…don't worry, in no time all this research will be over and we can play together again like old times_" He knew now that it was him making promises he would not keep.

"_But…but…Ienzo said you guys are going to go away…I don't want you to go away Bleig" _The hushed voice of the final words scared Xigbar; he felt it jolt through his brain.

Fear.

Fear for whom? Fear of what?

The door slowly slid open and the multicolored swirl of pathway to the world revealed itself. Kairi stood there transfixed, as her own memories came to her.

Suddenly Xigbar only saw himself and Kairi in the basement room. A hand covered in a white glove reached its way through the door way and through Kairi's chest, squeezing her heart. He snapped out of his trance and ran to the steps drawing a weapon he knew he didn't have.

"FUCK!" He yelled as he saw Kairi slump to the floor heart stolen.

"I NEED MY DAMN GUNS!" He screamed to no one in particular.

Demyx came at that moment weapons in hand and looked around momentarily confused, everyone else had begun to either walk or run to the fallen girl near the large door.

Vexen was the first looking stricken at the large door. Zexion tried to enter the door but was not allowed through.

"What's happening??" Xaldin asked as he lifted the lifeless form of Kairi from the basement floor hesitantly, not knowing why he was doing such a thing. Zexion had a sudden image shot through his head as he watched Xaldin. Demyx ran up the steps and looked from the frightened yet angry face of Xigbar who put his arm through the doorway.

"It seems that Xigbar is the only one allowed in..." Xemnas said. Demyx ran to Xigbar when he held out his hands for the guns. He snatched them up and with out another word ran into the pathway to the worlds.

"Kairi lost her heart…?" Demyx questioned as he looked at the girl he had only known for hours and felt himself want to weep.

"It seems Xigbar wants to save her" Zexion said with a bit of disgust. He turned to Xaldin who still held the body in his arms. Why was everyone acting so strange?

"AND WE CANT HELP…THAT'S BULL SHIT!" Demyx screamed new emotions taking over his mind.

"He has to fight his own battles" Lexaeus said in a quiet voice. Knowing that what ever was behind that door only Xigbar was meant to see.

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As Xigbar merged through the door he spotted the perpetrator who had taken Kairi's heart.

Decked out in all white this…thing took on his shape, but with the tale-tail blackish purple and yellow eyed features of a heartless. It had a grin of darkness and it held in its hand a glowing form of a heart.

Lifting the Heart to its mouth it swallowed it in one gulp. A rage so pure ignited in the depths of Xigbar and before he knew it he was firing upon his Heartless with outmost fury.

He wanted to shrink the space around them constricting his heartless, crushing it, but he knew if he did that Kairi's heart might be lost forever.

Why was he doing this anyway? For some girl he had met only hours ago? For the hope of getting his heart back? For what? He had no feelings….he shouldn't care…he shouldn't be here risking his existences for this child.

"**Pathetic**…"he heard his heartless say.

"**You shouldn't think so loud…I can hear everything you think...now then…I have the heart a Princess of Heart who's also a Keyblade bearer…heh…Kingdom Hearts here I come"** He mocked Xigbar with that voice of his own and he hated it.

"Shut Up…I'm gonna get that girls heart back and tear you to shreds." He yelled back at it and his heartless smirked.

"**Anger, rage, fury….the only emotions worth expressing ah"** His Heartless raised his hands and shadows and neo-shadows began to emerge rushing their way towards Xigbar. Xigbar conjured Dusk and Sniper Nobodies to back him up and he ran towards his Heartless all gun-ho.

A bright light emitted from his Heartless and he was momentarily blinded. His vision cleared to reveal a small stretch of land flowers sprouting from place to place. A small red haired child kneeling in the grass twining crowns of flowers. She couldn't be more then three.

"_Bweig…wanna pway pweetend wit me?" _She asked standing up and walking to him.

"Bweig...whose Bweig?…my names Xigbar little girl" But what came from his mouth was not what he wanted to say.

"_Sure chickadee…okay…I'll be the knight and you can be the princess…I'll protect you from all those bad monsters out there"_ he bent down to pick up a stick and swing it around as if fighting away monsters. The little girl laughed as she was hoisted up to sit on his shoulders.

"_Bweig…yow'll pwotect me fwom weal monsters wight" _She asked as she played with his pony-tail. Xigbar felt his heart leap. Wait…his heart.

"_Of course Kairi…aint no monsters gonna mess with you while I'm around…now whose up for some of Ansem's Sea-salt ice cream"_

Xigbar was warped to somewhere where darkness was the only thing he could see. He remembered that day and silently cursed himself for making those promises he would not keep to such an innocent girl. He told her he would protect her from all the bad monsters when the monster he couldn't protect her from was him.

His mind wandered to that day when he knew he could never go back to those innocent days with the child who he thought of as his little sister.

"_THIS IS FOR THE SAKE OF SCIENCE"_ Ienzo had screamed at Ansem. All of the apprentices had gathered to try and convince the old man to continue with the experiments of the Hearts of the world.

"_Children…you do not understand…I fear that these test of the Heart of the worlds are leading us further into darkness, away from our true goal…to try and make this paradise...Radiant Garden a better place…"_Ansem had argued. He had found out about the subjects they had been experimenting on even after he had nearly killed Xehanort they had continued to experiment on his people, the experiments where even more dangerous then his own. This was why he called them here, to tell them to stop the experiments and destroy all the data they had worked so hard to collect.

"_WE CAN'T GO BACK NOW WE'VE COME TOO FAR!" _Ienzo pleaded.

"_Cease the experiments…or I'll have to banish you from Radiant Garden"_ Ansem simply said hands folded under his chin. Xigbar stared completely transfixed. This is what happened. He again was traveling through his memories brought on by the darkness in his heart who he was fighting for the return of Kairi…his little ray of light…his chickadee's heart.

"_Where's Ansem Xehanort?" _He heard himself ask.

"_What do you mean? I am Ansem" _The crazed man said, he no longer looked like the poor soul who had been the first victim of Ansems experiments.

"_Your fucking crazy…you…you…your not Xehanort"_

"_Come Bleig…walk through that door and you'll know knowledge you never dreamed you could know…everything is there…in the darkness…in nothingness"_

Xigbar felt his feet moving as he walked towards the giant door in which he was already in fighting his Heartless. He remembered giving in, the second among many who would fall to the words of the false Ansem. He remembered thinking not of his little ray of hope and light, not of the place he had known for so long as home, not even of the safety of them…all he thought was about was the power he could achieve. He had not known it would change him.

With a flash of light he was standing there the blade of his gun embedded in his heartless chest.

"Give me back my heart" he said and yanked it out. With a cold smile the heartless gripped his chest.

"**It is already yours**…" It spat at him and evaporated into a thousand little slivers of darkness. He saw it lying there yet to return to Kingdom hearts. Kairi's heart floated just above the ground and he knelt to grasp it gently in his palms.

How could he have forgotten?

He had forgotten about all the games of hide-n-seek, of pretend, and of ghost stories and tea parties.

He had forgotten about that little girl who he had told lies to, had made hollow promises to.

"_No Xigbar...you kept your promise, you came back to save her...you've learned what it feels like to want to save someone you care about…_" It was Naminés voice and he turned to see the ethereal girl standing in front off him, She gave him a smile that was much like Kairi's, and he frowned a bit but nodded and turned to leave the pathway.

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"Sora what are you doing?" Riku asked as he watched Sora trying to paddle his way out to sea on the rickety old raft they had constructed.

"I'm gonna go look for Kairi…she's been gone for three days now…I'm worried…" He said. Riku sighed as he watched Sora get pushed back onto shore by a large wave. How they thought they where going to get anywhere on that thing he didn't know.

"Sora…we have to just wait till she comes back" Riku reassured him and slipped of his shoes, rolled up his pants to the knees and sat down on the white sands of Destiny Island , he closed his eyes as the waves washed back and forth barely brushing him.

"HOW CAN YOU BE SO CALM?!" Sora yelled franticly trying to push the raft back out again.

"Who knows what's happened to her…she could be getting attacked by heartless or chased by nobodies…what ever it is she went to do I'm pretty sure it wouldn't take more the three days.." Sora cried, pleading with Riku to help him. Riku merely gave him an arch of his eyebrow and peeked open one eye to stare at him.

"Sora get a grip…its not that serious…" Riku assured.

"I felt her heart get taken…" Sora replied, Riku stared wide eyed at him a sudden fear gripping him.

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Kairi opened her eyes to stare into a weeping face that was crying over her. Sitting up she pushed the rocker a bit to move.

"Oh Kairi…I don't know why I'm crying but I feel so…ummm…it's a good feeling…I think the words happy…that your okay" He continued Kairi gave him an odd look and stood. Strangely she had regained some memories of the man Xigbar…or rather Bleig. She looked around for him. She spotted him standing in front of the now closed and locked gate to the pathway of worlds. He looked to be deep in thought and no one had ventured towards him to ask.

"Yeah…I'm okay Demyx…what happened?" She asked the others who had not said a word about her return to consciousness.

"No one knows…Xigbar has yet to inform us of the incidents that befell him on the other side of the gateway…he has been silent since he returned with your heart" Vexen said to her his voice a bit chilly.

Kairi nodded and slowly made her way over to the Free Shooter cautiously. Looking at him for a moment in silence she uttered a simple word to him.

"Yo" She said raising her hand slightly.

"Yo yourself" He returned the motion still staring at the closed door.

"Ummm." Kairi didn't know what to say to him, he was agitated she felt, confused about the feelings that he…no that Bleig once had. Xigbar was trying to cope with all the emotions and memories that had been thrown upon him.

"heh…to think…my other self actually drank pretend tea…with a three year old" He turned to her and smiled patted her head fondly and walk away from her, she wanted to say something to him, but instead ended up yelling it at his back.

"I know you're not him….but we can make new memories…memories for Kairi and Xigbar" She spoke loudly from the steps, looking down on all six of the men who she had once known as family she smiled. This had been her home once; this was also the place, in which Sora's search for her had ceased, a place where these men had lost their hearts to the darkness. But now it was place where she would start her possibly long journey to help them find them again.

"Girl!" Zexion's voice snapped her out of her trance. She frowned at him and didn't answer. Zexion ignored her deliberate attempt to ignore him and continued on.

"Xigbar as told us he is unable to explain to us what happened in side…maybe you…" He stopped when Kairi walked past him with out a word. He gave her a look behind her back; Demyx appeared behind him and slap his shoulders with his hands.

"You don't know anything about girls do you…I mean besides Larxene…and she didn't qualify" Demyx joked. Zexion glared at him and tucked his hands into his coat pockets. He walked behind a bit as the others walked ahead with Kairi.

Running ahead he watched as Demyx called out to Kairi. Turning to stare from the doorway he looked over the basement. It was massive and its emptiness gave him a sense of foreboding. Sniffing the air, he caught a scent that was very faint. Underneath Maleficent, underneath Pete, underneath all the Heartless, and Sora and Riku and that girl Kairi's. He smelled a scent that sent the hairs on the back of his neck standing.

It was his own scent…

Staring forward not yet descending the stairs to the exit, he spotted a figure looking at the closed door to the heart of the world. Wearing a stark white coat similar to that of a lab coat, contrasted by its shadowy appearance.

The creature turned to give Zexion a smile made of darkness, its yellow eyes gleaming.

Zexion turned away then turned to look again. The creature was gone. Deciding it was his imagination, he walked the rest of the way to the exit.

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"Ummmm I'm not sure" Kairi said a little wearily as the remaining Organization members attempted to get her to pass through a dark portal they had conjured.

She had remembered reading an Ansem report she had stolen from Sora, it was the day before she had the dream.

"_while beings born of darkness and those lacking hearts may find them convenient, it is dangerous for others to make much use of the corridors of darkness, darkness erodes the heart."_

"Hey don't worry…I wont drop you" Demyx had informed her. She frowned a little at him, she had traveled through them multiple times and not once had someone had to hold her, she had not feared them then, but ever since she had read the reports she had wondered if darkness had done something to her.

"Maybe I should travel by Gummi" She asked herself. She heard Zexion give a sigh.

"It is quicker this way, we will waste time driving a gummi ship, and I do not think that we could construct a gummi large enough to hold us all" He gave Kairi a look that she knew he was calling her stupid in his head. Vexen nodded.

"I must inform you Miss Kairi that Zexion is right…you must push past your fear and travel thus with us" The blonde said with a chilly after tone. Kairi silently wondered if he always said things with such a cold attitude. She frigidit a bit as she looked between the tall cliffs that enclosed them .

"Fear is such a useless emotion…I wonder why we even try to retrieve our hearts" Zexion added. Kairi frowned and felt anger rise up at him.

"Because…there are more emotions then just fear, and sadness, and anger…there are emotions like happiness, humor, desire…..love" She said the last with a whisper her mind wondering to Sora.

Xemnas looked at her with astonishment.

"He said the same thing…" He said as they stood in a large clearing where he remembered Sora fighting a large group of heartless, he remembered it being one thousand.

"Who?" Kairi asked folding her arms in frustration.

"The Keyblades Chosen one" He reminisced.

"Sora?" She asked as she walked a little towards him.

"Yes…you two are a lot alike…but enough of this we must use these paths to hasten our search" He turned to her holding out his hand. She backed away from him. To go through the darkness with some one alone seemed somehow intimate. She had gone through alone, or with Naminé or if she was with a group one at a time. But now to go through holding the hand of a man, seemed a little odd.

"Ummm" She held her hand close to her.

"What now girl?" Zexion said with impatience's. She shot a hard glare at him. He could make out the hint of red that crossed her features.

"And do tell me…what emotion is that, the one that you are displaying now?" He asked his one eye looking her over.

Kairi reached her hands up to cup her face and the shade of red deepened. She turned away from the men who gave her questioning looks. Xigbar caught on and playfully hit Zexion on the head with a balled fist and went over to Kairi. Opening a pathway of darkness and bowed and swept his hand, a sign in allowing her to go first. Stepping through with great haste, she allowed the Keyblade to guide her.

"Okay Zexion little dude…maybe you could be nicer to her" Xigbar asked the blue haired youth.

"Nice…I don't even understand the concept…being nice is beyond my understanding...I'm a Nobody...I don't have feelings" He glared at the older man. Xigbar ran a gloved hand through his hair.

"Awww come on dude…" But before the Surfer-Pirate could say another word Zexion pulled up a pathway and vanished through it. Xigbar sighed and walked through his own pathway.

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Okay the second chapter is finished…hope you like it…hmmm I hope everyone is as in-character as possible...I mean…we don't truly understand how their suppose to act...ohwell.shrug


	3. When Hades freezes over

I was very pleased with the last Chapter so I decided to write this one with it, also because I was bored….oh and by the way…I'm attempting to play Kingdom Hearts 2 on Proud mode…it's hard, and I have developed an appreciation for Mickey Mouse because he has saved my butt many times now.

Kratos from God of War makes an apprentice so yeah…

And by the way Zexion will be probably seventeen in the flash backs...I'm changing the age because its confusing, it seems like Nobodies grow just like normal people, but Zexion couldn't have been five and a scientific appretiances...I'm just so freakin confused…I mean Roxas and Naminé where born at the same time and they both aged with Sora and Kairi…so shouldn't that mean that nobodies grow up.

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"Uhhhh…" Kairi said as she sat staring at Hades the God of the underworld. He was pacing back and worth mumbling to himself.

Silently cursing her Keyblade for bringing her straight into his throne room, she fidgeted a bit as his lackeys Pain and Panic stood on each side of her chair.

"So…let me get this straight…you just happen to waltz into my throne room…absolutely no intentions of doing so…and you expect me to let you go?" He said as he sat down on the other end of the table his chair pulling up behind him as he did.

"Ummm yes?" She made it more a question. She had heard from Sora about how dangerous Hades was, she had heard about his fiery temper and his tendency to trick people, she had to be careful.

"Ennnt…wrong little girl, you gotta pay a price, I don't let just anyone free….hmmmm" he looked her over and his eye brightened a bit at the sight of her Keyblade.

"Ahhhh…so you're a, what did Maleficent call it…a Keyblade master...can open anything you want right?" He asked as he stood and walked around the table to her. Kairi followed his movements as he came to stand behind her. Placing his hands on her shoulders he bent to whisper in her ear.

"You see I have a little problem up above…there's this guy named Hercules…he's been a real thorn in my side for the last decade…and you look like a smart girl..." He inclined waving his hand to produce a doll like form of Hercules. Kairi had heard about the man from Sora also. He had described him as: awesome, strong, nice, and cool….a friend.

"You don't expect me to fight him…" She said in disbelief, she couldn't fight a God like Hades, what made him think she could beat the person who trashed him multiple times.

"No...Noooo…of course not, I just want you to unlock this vault and deliver a message to a god on top of Olympus, simple really" He smiled at her on the side of her face. Kairi moved her face away from his and gave him a look. He didn't honestly think she'd do it did he?

"Come on ummm what's your name?...its a simple task, or if you don't want to do that I could always, I don't know, lock you up in the deepest darkest part of the underworld I know…Or maybe give you as a gift to Cerberus…so many things I could do.." he mused as he stood up and looked at her. Kairi had other ideas.

"No!" She said simply rising from her seat. She stood before Hades hands on her hips. The Keyblade must have brought her here because one of the organizations hearts resided in the world.

"You must know about the heartless right?" She asked. Hades' looked at her with a spec of impatience.

"Yeah I know about them….darkness born of peoples hearts yada yada yada…what of it" He waved his hands as if dismissing it.

"There is a heart some where on this world, that belongs to someone dear to me…I'll do your task if you can help me find the door to this world..." She said. Hades looked her over, he remembered Maleficent saying something about Doors to the Worlds, and he had not really cared much about it.

"Hmmm okay you got yourself a deal…" He said, she stared at him long and hard and then held out her hand. They shuck on it. It sounded like a simple enough task.

She just hoped she wasn't getting herself into something she couldn't get herself out of. She hoped she wasn't putting the man Hercules in danger, opening doors and such for Hades. As Pain and Panic led her to the way to Olympus she felt a shudder run through her, someone...something was watching her. She wondered where the others were.

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"Please explain to me Xigbar...how in the world could you have lost her?" Vexen asked the eye patch wearing gunner.

"I have no idea…I mean…the Pathway should have led to the same exact place she landed in" Xigbar walked around in circles checking places incase he missed a spot where he thought Kairi could be.

"I remember this place" Demyx exclaimed excitedly as he ran around the outside of the Coliseum. The large pillars and purple posters brought back memories for him about when he was instructed to steal the Hero's Crest and investigate the underworld. That was the first time he had met the boy Sora. Thinking about him made Demyx mad for some reason.

"Demyx stop acting like an idiot…you know your way around this place correct, help us find the girl" Zexion said his arms folded over his chest as he watched Demyx bound around. Demyx gave him a look that Zexion didn't understand and didn't like.

"Okay the best thing to do is go ask that little goat thing over there" Demyx pointed across the clearing to the large doors of the entrance to the Coliseum. Phil looked panic stricken and ran quickly back inside; dropping the things he was holding in his arms.

"It seems you did not leave a very good impression on him" Xemnas said to Demyx as he walked towards the entrance, followed shortly by the others. Demyx took a glance back at the dark hole the signified the entrance to the underworld.

Before Xemnas and the others could approach the door Hercules emerged battle ready, face torn in anger.

"Sora told me about you guys…Organization thirteen…I thought he got rid of you" he said fist balled and ready. Xigbar made a face and started to tap his feet impatiently.

"Dude…he did, one by one we fell to the hands of the mighty Keyblade bearer…but it's a long story about why we're here…and personally I don't wanna go into it with you…we're looking for a friend of ours" He said looking from the others. Lexaeus looked as every bit confused as the others, they had no idea why they felt a feeling of worry for the girl; He understood why he was worried about Kairi. He had wished he could share his memories of her with them but he knew they would not understand his feelings.

"A friend? But Sora told me…" He said dropping his guard a bit. Phil and Meg were standing behind him waiting, watching.

"Disregard what the Keyblade bearer informed you about us…the person we search for is a young girl, a friend of the Keyblade bearers, her name is Kairi…" Vexen said eyes boring into the young Olympians; Hercules felt a chill run up him as Vexen stared at him with cold blue eyes. But he recognized the name; it was the name of the special person Sora was searching for the first time they met.

"Why would you be searching for her…?" He asked a little suspiciously. Maybe these people where trying to find her to use her against Sora, that would be something Hades would do.

"Child we merely search for her because we have reason to worry about her safety" Xemnas felt himself growing impatient with the young man at that point, obviously anyone who knew Sora, knew about Kairi, and if they where searching for her, no one who knew her would tell where she was. Not to them at least.

"This grows tiresome Superior...we should search for her on our own" Vexen informed to Xemnas as he turned his back on Hercules. Demyx stood staring at the entrance to the underworld.

"Ummm guys…I think she might be down in the underworld" He said as he walked towards the large doors a bit. Xigbar looked to him and raised an eyebrow.

"What…how do you figure that?" he asked the rocker, and then felt his heart respond a bit.

"I don't know…I just do…come on…there was this real scary guy down there and a big dog too…she might be in trouble" He said as he took of at a run towards the Underworld Xigbar follow close behind.

The others stood looking after them in the center of the walk way towards the stadium. They then proceeded towards the large black portal, some feeling anxious at finding out if Kairi was okay or in grave danger.

Hercules looked after them. His eyes knotted in confusion, they seemed to be generally worried about the girl Kairi. He didn't know what to do. Sora had told him that those people were bad and had no hearts.

"Hey Herc…maybe you should tag along just incase they find her" Phil put in as he walked back inside to polish the trophies.

"Yeah wonder boy…just incase" Meg agreed as she sat down on a stool that blocked what she did not know was a keyhole. Herc looked between them both knowing that they meant "Go help them find her" running off he did not see as he passed up a dark figure dressed all in white walk into the Coliseum.

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Kairi had been wandering through the Underworld Caverns for a long time and still she had not come across the door Hades' had informed she'd see. The combination of the faint light and the mist and fog made the place a death trap, she moved about slowly and cautiously trying not to fall to her death from one of the steep cliffs that were hidden by the fog.

Then she saw it.

A large door just across the way from her, a large figure K engraved into it. She walked forward momentarily forgetting to test the area. She slipped and fell, screaming as her hand shot out to grip the side. Hanging there she felt as something floated past her brushing her leg. Her hand began to give and slip. Throwing her other hand up to the edge to pull herself up, the cliff gave at her weight and broke away allowing gravity to do the rest.

Closing her eyes expecting to feel the hard ground meet her, she felt a strong hand grab her wrist and pull her up.

Opening her eyes a little she looked up into a face that was half covered by a large off purple collar. Wearing a red kimono which he tucked one arm into, the man had a large

sword that hung along his back. He stared down at her with a sort of disbelief.

"Thanks a lot….ummm" Kairi brushed stray debris away from her.

"Auron…"He replied looking her over, she looked up at him he was half expecting her eyes to be mitch-matched. He chuckled a bit at the memory.

"Huh…what's so funny?" She asked hands on her hips.

"No…nothing…what's a child like you doing in the underworld anyway?" He asked a bit curiously. Kairi poked out her lower lip and the being called a child.

"I have you know I'm nearly seventeen…thank you very much" Kairi informed following the tall samurai guardian down the makeshift stone stairs.

"Regardless of your age this place isn't a playground" he shot back in a bored tone walking through the underground caverns of the underworld.

"I'm on an errand for Hades" She said stopping realizing he was leading her back towards the door she came in through. Auron turned to look at her with astonishment.

"You made a deal with Hades didn't you…" He sighed going to stand before her. He looked angry. Kairi nodded her head a little and he gave a deeper sigh.

"He wont honor his end of the bargain if the deed is done the slightest error…what did he ask you to do?" He asked wanting to help the young girl in an attempt to save her soul.

"To open a door and deliver a message to the Gods…he'll help me find the Door to this world if I do" Kairi ran along the stone floor hearing the wispy cries of the souls around her, Aurons long strides brought her swiftly to the door she had been staring at when she fell from the cliff.

"Well this is the door…don't worry...if there is something that would harm you behind this door, I'll fight it off" He said as he readied himself for battle Kairi nodded.

"Now…how are you going to unlock a door in the Underworld that the God himself could not open? Obviously it was not meant to be open…if he can not open it in his own domain" Auron asked looking up at the large lock and chain that kept people out. Kairi summoned up her Keyblade and Auron stared at it briefly then chuckled.

"You are the second person I've seen to wield such a strange weapon" He motioned his head towards the Keyblade when she turned to stare questionably at him.

"The other was a boy named…." He began but was then interrupted.

"Sora" She finished and nodded at him with a smile. No wonder she felt comfortable around the man, He was a friend of Sora.

Pointing her Keyblade towards the lock she willed the weapon to unlock the door. It Unlocked with a burst of light and began to move open with the slow grinding sound of stone on stone.

As the fog rolled out from inside the room, it cleared to reveal a beautiful young woman dressed in Greek clothing a young child hugging her side. They both looked scared and frightened.

"Ummm I'm here to take you to Hades…" She informed them, they looked at her in fear and the woman held her daughter tight.

"Are we going to see my husband?"

----------------

"DEMYX WHERE THE HELL ARE WE?" Xigbar as they stared across a long bridge like trail that led o large double doors at the other side.

The room the aqua eyed rocker had led them to glowed with an eerie green glow and small ghostly orbs flittered past them in slow gliding movements.

"Ummmm I think Kairi would be up there" Demyx pointed towards Hades throne room. Xemnas took up the lead as they made there way upwards towards the double doors.

"I hope you're right because I'm tired of wandering around this place" Xigbar scuffed as he followed behind Xemnas.

"I also hope that Demyx's usual unreliable directions will lead us to Miss Kairi" Vexen mused. Zexion gave the Chilly academic a look. Since Kairi had arrived none of the members had been their usual selves. Not even Xemnas. He even had a slight feeling that his own reactions to her were abnormal.

He had found himself lately thinking about the feeling of regret as he looked at her, and thinking of the feeling of jealousy when he watched Demyx and Xigbar with her. He knew that Xigbar had gotten his heart returned to him but did not understand how she felt so comfortable with the Free Shooter.

Shrugging it off as mere thought Zexion stopped when he realized that they had arrived at the large double doors that signified the entrance to Hades thrones room.

Xemnas held up a black gloved hand before any of them could utter a word. The kept their words to themselves as Hades voice floated from the room.

"No I'm for sure He'll come down and fight Hercules, especially if I dangle his wife and kid in front of him…heheheheheh…lucky for me that little girl with the Keyblade dropped down when she did….." At those words Xigbar burst open the doors his weapons ready and pointed at Hades his brows knotted with anger.

"Where's Kairi?" He asked as the others came in after him Xemnas giving Xigbar a disapproving look, He only shrugged as Xemnas walked towards the slowly angering Hades.

"My companion speaks of the girl with the Keyblade you mentioned…if you have information on her whereabouts I ask you to give it to us" he said hands tucked behind him.

Hades face turned red with anger and he stood up flames erupting from his person. Slamming his fist on the tables he cracked the stone and started to yell.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE….I'M THE LORD OF THE FREAKIN UNDERWORLD…." His face distorted in rage. Xemnas gave a chuckled.

"Fine then…let me rephrase my question…**give** us the information on the whereabouts of the girl with the Keyblade or…."Xemnas did not move, but soon Hades was surrounded by three armed men, all pointing a weapon at him. Knowing that he was outmatched Hades ran a hand over his head his natural coloring returning, and sat down on his throne his face still knotted in anger.

"you just missed her…she's on her way to Mt. Olympus to give a message to a god…I made a deal with her and she cant go back on it…she wanted me to find the door to this world or something….if you wanna wait around for a big show…I don't mind" He said with a smile at the thought of the death of Hercules.

"You bet not have put her in danger" Xigbar announced in a warning voice, Hades gave a sneaky smile.

"Depends how the gods are feeling…I didn't guarantee safe passage" He informed with a bitter tone at them.

"If Miss Kairi does not return you may not live long enough to witness any event you have planed today" Vexen said in his usual chilly tone, it seemed to hold an even icier edge to it. Hade laughed so hard he had to wipe the tears from his face.

"Ahhhhahahhha…man you guys crack me up…you don't really think you could kill a god do you" He asked looking at Xemnas, Xemnas returned his smirk.

"We are nothing…the rules of these worlds don't apply to us…and I'm sure that you do not desire to spend the rest of your immortal life living in nothingness" Xemnas remarked as he waved his hand opening a portal of darkness. Hades was moving before he knew that he was, the darkness drew him in and he could not stop it. As he neared the portal he started to panic but then the portal closed and his throne chair was still.

"Now then…" Xigbar announced with a smirk of his own.

-----------------

"Its Okay Auron I can make it the rest of the way on my own" Kairi informed as they left the underworld after delivering the girl and woman to Hades safely. Auron had appointed himself her guardian for the time she was there, but she felt like she didn't want to bother the older man.

"Are you sure…if Sora knew I let something happen to you I doubt he'd let me live through it…or at all for that matter" Auron grumbled. Kairi smiled and nodded her head as she walked from the great doors towards the Coliseum. She saw Hercules sitting on the steps looking rather in the dumps. She then realized she was probably going to talk to the person who might kill him. Walking to him a little unsure she knelt down in front of him.

"Ummm are you okay?" She asked a bit worried.

"Yeah I guess I just forgot I gave Sora the Hero's Crest and I can't go help those guys find Sora's friend..." he said not looking up. Kairi blinked then understood he was talking about her and the Organization. They must have arrived here instead of the Underworld, and now they were looking for her. Hercules was going to help them.

She couldn't go through with the deal now.

"Well I guess I found you instead" She joked. Hercules looked up at her in astonishment.

"Wha….but…your really here…those guys were looking for you…I'm glad they didn't catch you" He said as he grabbed her by the hand and led her into the trophy room where Phil was.

"Hey Phil look She's here!" Phil turned to stare and jump up.

"That's good now we can go tell the Kid…" Phil rushed to write a letter. Kairi broke away from Hercules grip and stopped the little goat man.

"Now hold on a sec….I'm on a mission and Sora cant know about it…those people you were talking about are my...umm friends…can you promise me you wont contact Sora?" She asked pleading a little. Both Phil and Herc looked confused.

"Ummm…but those bad people are after you" Herc said as he looked at her. Kairi sighed and sat leaned against the golden stone wall of the trophy room.

"Their my friends…I need to find them" Kairi astonished. Hercules smacked his forehead with the palm of his hands. Phil started to freak as he shook his hand at the Hero.

"I told you they were her friends…but noooo you thought they where bad guys" Phil

Screamed. Herc gaped and they both started to argue about who had sent the group of men away. Meg sighed as she walked through the door seeing them wrestling with each other. She turned to give Kairi a smile.

"Their always like that…don't worry…and about your friends…they have to be in the underworld looking for you..." The willowy woman went and gave Hercules and Phil a good clonk on their heads.

"Come on guys we got a guest don't go acting childish now" She gave them a soft smile.

Kairi sighed and stood up; she was getting ready to leave to go to the underworld to find the others. She was opening the door when a burst of blue flame erupted from the ground.

"Now where do you think your going…forget about or deal already" Hades asked his head tilted a bit at her. Kairi stumbled back a bit as the Keyblade appeared in her hands. Hades laughed as Hercules ran over to her in a battle stance.

"Now now Herc the Jerk…as soon as little miss Keyblade Master here delivers my message to the gods. I'll be seeing you real soon….we made a deal…" Hades smirked Kairi frowned and stood straight.

"Did you find the Door to this world?" She asked, Hades ran a hand through his hair and looked away a bit.

"Lets not get bowed down in details…Just go give the message" He grunted. Kairi shook her head.

"Give him the message yourself…not Door to this world…no delivery service…the deals off" Hercules looked at Kairi and nodded his head as they both got ready for a battle that was going to happen.

"WHAT!?...YOU LITTLE TART….I'LL SHOW YOU" Hades screamed. Waving his hand he conjured up a mirror surrounded by black and blue flames. The Organization sat in a small podium over looking the Underdome, they looked angry and anxious. Kairi gave a gasp.

"You see your little friends are waiting for a big match….what they don't know is that that box seat sits right above a pit that leads to the deepest, darkest, most dangerous part of the underworld…and I control the switch…and the match that their waiting for is……." Hades gave another wave of his hand. Materializing through a mass of flames, Kairi and Hercules appeared in the center of the Underdrome arena.

Looking around confused Kairi looked up to see the older members of the Organization standing and looking very panic stricken.

"This is what you get for double-crossing the lord of the Underworld sweetheart…I'll be with you is just a moment" Hades voice echoed through the chasms and soon she was being pulled into a room with Hercules by ghostly figures. She heard Xigbars voice from afar.

"Hey…wait what's going on…let her go…why we can't get out from here…KAIRI!"

"Hercules?" She asked looking at the demi-god.

"I don't know either…Meg and Phil were up their too…what's Hades up to this time?" He put his hand to his chin while he thought. Kairi looked around the room that they had been placed in. Armor and weapons littered the walls and floors. This must be the place that the people Hades had prepared for battle in the arena.

She looked at Hercules who was still deep in thought.

Was she supposed to fight him?

Could she?

Kairi shook her head as she sat down on a bench. She was too weak, not strong like Riku and Sora.

She lifted the Keyblade to eye level.

She didn't know how to use this thing, she was its master yet she had no idea how it worked. Sighing she felt her spirit drop.

Hades chose that moment to pop up.

"Well your looking down in the dumps….you should be getting ready for your match kiddy…you know throw on some of that armor…you might need it" he walked away chuckling, Kairi jumped up and ran after him.

"What are you doing…I can't fight Hercules….I cant fight in this arena" She said with a firm voice.

"Well…you should have thought of that before you went back on our deal…now you gotta pay the price" He remarked with a wave of his hand and then vanished.

"Oh and by the way…Hercules isn't your opponent…its some one much worse" He smirked and left. Kairi sighed. How was she supposed to get out of this, save the others, and stay alive?

"Don't worry…I'll watch out for you out there" Hercules reassured her as he patted her shoulder. Kairi smiled a little up at him.

---------------

"We must remain calm…Hades has some sort of barrier around this spot…our powers wont penetrate it from the inside" Xaldin informed the others as he attempted to brake the unseen shield.

"He intends for us to watch Kairi fight" Vexen said as he sat calmly in his seat watching Xigbar and Demyx use up valuable energy trying to get out.

"Stop wasting your energy you idiots…you might need it later when it matters" Zexion barked. Xigbar turned on him with anger in his eyes.

"This does matter…Kairi could get killed down there…don't you care at all…oh wait I forgot...you aint got no heart right…well then just shut your little smart ass mouth shrimp" Xigbar yelled. Zexion was a little taken aback by Xigbars out burst. He just couldn't understand why they where putting so much stress on the well being of this girl. Maybe it was the out come of getting back their hearts.

Xemnas sighed, he knew al about the emotion of rage and anger, but he didn't know how to respond to the other emotions Xigbar and Demyx where giving off.

"Xigbar there is no need to take your anger out on Zexion, we are all experiencing frustration due to this situation we are in…you must not let these emotions of yours cloud your judgment" He laid a hand on Xigbars shoulders. He felt the Free Shooters shoulders slump a little.

"I'm just worried…is all…she's like a part of our family…right?" Xemnas gave a questioning lift of his eyebrows at Xigbars words. The others man just gave a shrug and turned around with a weary smile.

"You wouldn't understand that would you…nope...your completely blank up there" Xigbar laughed a harsh laugh and went to sit away from the others.

Then they heard Hades voice erupt throughout the stadium.

"Ladies and Gentleman, Ghouls and Ghost…I present to you today the match of the millennium…finally the fall of the Great Hercules….God against Demi-God…both once Human…both who have exhaled beyond mortal limits…first in the blue corner…" Hades appeared on a high podium in which his throne was seated. A perfect view to watch the match.

"…..Our boy Hercules…and his sidekick…the Keyblade Master…many of you might be thinking…that's not the Keyblade master…but it its….and in the Red corner" Hades waved his hand to the other side of the arena where a large gate started to pull up.

"Fighting for the release of his beloved family…who has served many trials on the behalf of the gods…who has saved Athens and defeated the dreaded God of war Ares…my boy to the end…..KRATOS! THE NEW GOD OF WAAAAAAR!" Hades shouted as a rather large man walked through the gates. He was completely white with red markings decorating his tattoos.

Even from their box seat the members of the organization could make out the chains of his weapons embedded into his arms and body. His armor was black, with vines of flames running a pattern. His eyes gave the look of a haunted man who had killed many and seen tragedies beyond their comprehension. He gripped his blades like one who had used them frequently, and was not afraid to use them now.

"HADES...Your promise will be upheld if I kill these two..." His voice held a command not a question as he walked to the middle of the arena.

"Sure sure…I know not to mess with you Kratos…but yeah…I let your wife and child go…I talk to good ol' Morpheus to get your dreams to stop…and you can live happily ever after…" Hades assured. Kratos nodded.

Hercules stepped out followed shortly by Kairi. Kratos stared a bit. Hades had not told him she was still a child. But he would kill her if it meant his families return.

"NOW LET THE MATCH BEGIN" Hades declared and ever one in the Organization even Zexion had to cross their fingers and hope that Kairi got out of the match alive.

Running towards the two Kratos had intended to take of Kairi's head with one sweep of his blades. But as he let the chain swing, the blades of chaos soaring towards the young girl Hercules pushed her out of the way and let one blade wrap around his arm. Using both hands Hercules gripped the chain and pulled with all his strength on it causing Kratos to fly into the air as Hercules began to swing him in a circle.

"Childish!" Kratos said to him swinging his other blade forcing it into the solid stone floor and yanking Hercules up of the ground himself by pulling the chain Hercules was swing him by.

They where face to face now suspended momentarily in the air. Kratos delivered slashes and blows to Hercules in the short time in took them to land.

By the time they landed Hercules was bleeding from multiple cuts. He had only minimum strength down in the underworld and couldn't see how Kratos could stand here in the midsts of it all his strength still with him.

Walking towards Hercules Kratos pulled him to his feet and stabbed him in the stomach, he felt blood run down over is hands and he let the son of Zeus slump to the cold stone floor of the stadium. He turned to look over at Kairi how was glowing a slight green color.

Turning around swiftly Kratos caught and left hook that sent him flying. Crashing into the opposite wall he looked up to see Hercules running full speed towards him. Letting the Blades of Chaos go from his grasp he met Hercules their hands Clutched together as they pushed at each other.

Kratos growled, he was a Spartan warrior who was not about to louse to the likes of Hercules.

Bending down quickly Kratos swept Hercules legs from under him and called forth the blade of Artemis and brought it down into the Greeks chest. His blood yet again sprayed forth. And then another green glow surrounded him and Hercules was gripping the sword and lifting it from his body and swing it away from them.

Suddenly to Kratos unexpected surprise he slipped and fell onto the ground, a golden glow shot from Hercules and he was then pounded Kratos so hard that he was a inch or so into the stone floor with the power of a god.

Grabbing a fist that was flying towards his face Kratos pulled Hercules into his range and began to punch him also. Hercules began to slow down but was then rejuvenated by the green glow again.

Looking around he saw what he had already suspected. The girl Kairi was constantly healing Hercules momentarily allowing the man to have his strength back. And while he fought the girl would have time to recover for another heals.

"Smart" He said to them and wrapped one chain around Hercules legs and yanking it from under him and as Hercules fell Kratos let his other blade fly towards Kairi pressing Hercules to the ground with his foot.

Kairi lifted her Keyblade to block the blow. It hit it with a clank and Kairi slid back a bit from the force. Kratos guided the chain back and whipped it at her again, it hit the Keyblade again with another loud clank and she slid back once more.

Continue with that process Kratos began to pick up speed and pressure and between the fifth or sixth blow he could see as Kairi slipped down to one knee.

"Finally…" He said while whipping the chain back and then shooting his arm sharply out so that the blade on the end of the chain went flying for the girls head.

"KAIRI GET UP!" Xigbar yelled as he banged on the shield Demyx was also hitting the shield with his Sitar. The blade neared her but never landed on its intended victim. Kratos narrowed his eyes.

Kairi looked up to see the red kimono of the samurai Guardian Auron, the chain of the blade of chaos wrapped around his sword.

"I told you….if I let anything happen to you Sora would never let me live it down" He smirked looking down at her. Seeing him gave Kairi renewed insurance. She didn't have to fight alone, Auron and Hercules were with her…and the others were counting on her to help them find their hearts, she couldn't die now. She had to go back to Sora and Riku.

Standing up Kairi readied herself with Auron by her side. Kratos snarled. And Hades could be heard roaring his disapproval.

"WHAT IN THE UNDERWORLD IS THIS….DONT STOP KRATOS KILL THEM BOTH! DONT FORGET I'V GOT YOUR FAMILY!" He screamed as he rose up from his seat.

"You must understand…I do this for my family" He said to both of them Auron sighed and griped his sword hilt tighter.

It happened so fast Kairi could not understood what happened, soon Auron was stone standing next to her a statue of the great man who was there moments ago, and she looked over to Kratos who was holding a grotesque decapitated head of a gorgon.

She was ducking and rolling before she knew what she was doing as a beam of sickly yellow light erupt from the open eyes of the head.

Vexen had stood up then hands pressed against, the snakes that withered on the head gave him a jolt of memory he had tucked away in the confines of his mind he saw what he knew right away was a young form of Kairi at age four, but he was confused because he had no memory of ever knowing her at that age.

As he pieced together the information he realized that it was not him Vexen that had the memories but his true self Even.

The sound of her crying in a field of lovely flowers, the strange surprised feeling he had as he ran to see her.

The child was standing near a fallen log someone had dumped there, her tears streaming out.

He remembered kneeling over her to see what was wrong, he watched as a snake slithered back into the hollowed log.

"NO!" He had screamed out loud and when he screamed that word. Kairi's Keyblade erupted with a light that broke the barrier around them.

The moment the barrier lifted, Kratos had no chance of winning as the older members of the Organization came to Kairis aid. Zexion found himself standing behind the shield of older men and their weapons as he and Demyx helped Kairi up. He gave her a look That Kairi couldn't read her soar muscles aching.

She desperately wanted to go to Auron and Hercules. But she saw as Meg and Phil went to the young hero. Looking over at the stone features of Auron she silently wondered if he would remain like that forever. Hades voice interrupted her thoughts as he appeared in the center of the arena with a puff of smoke and flame.

"WHAT IN ZEUSES HAIR PIECE DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING!" he screamed at Xemnas and the others as Kratos gripped his weapons tightly.

Xemnas raised one of his light sabers at Hades, the neon glow of it casting eerie shadows on the Superiors face.

"Did we not inform you Hades that if you put this girl in danger that we would ultimately cast you into nothingness?" Xemnas asked his voice low and dangerous as a pathway to darkness shot up from the ground behind Hades.

"Hey now now…come on…it was all in good fun…see...see. Tell them little girl…I was just yanking their legs…right…right..." he tried to convince them, Xemnas gave him a bored look. Hades looked over his shoulder to Kratos.

"Hey Spartan…come on help me…we had a deal remember...save me and your wife and daughter can go free" He assured Kratos as the darkness pulled him in slowly, Kratos eyes sharpened as he raised his blades up to fight to the end. Kairi couldn't take it anymore as she flung herself into Xemnas with not much force and pushed at him.

"Stop…stop that's enough…I cant stand it anymore…Hades used us all he dangled his guys family in front of him and I was so quick to find one of your hearts I didn't think of the consequences that my actions might have on other people…its all my fault and I'm sorry" She spoke as she looked up at the others.

"I promised you all I'd find your hearts…and I will…but please…don't turn your hearts dark…" She continued as she turned to Hades and Kratos. Walking past the startled Hades she stop in front of Kratos who looked down at her with s look similar to confusion.

"I know Hades made a deal with you to release your family if you killed Hercules and me…but please…accept my apology..." She bowed her head as she spoke.

"I'm the one who unlocked the vault that held them…" She finished. Kratos looked at the red head and sighed letting his arms fall to his sides.

"I did what I did for the ones I loved…and you did what you did for similar reasons…your right that Hades manipulated us…but we allowed ourselves to be manipulated….I don't blame you…but" Kratos said with a strong commanding voice, making Kairi jump and the others ready their weapons incase he attacked her.

"I will be putting my family back into the vault" He declared as he walked across the stone floor of the arena to stand in front of Hades.

"It was I who locked it in the first place Hades…I must live with the memories of what I've done…nothing can change that…but I will give them a peaceful resting place…our deal…is off" He said as he exited the arena. Hades stared after him and slowly began to lose his temper.

"WHAAAAAAAAT!...no…NOOO! YOU GET YOUR WAR LORD BUTT BACK OUT HERE AND FINISH THE JOB" He screamed in his rage forgetting to whom he was talking to. Kratos stopped and turned around his eyes burning like fire.

"Has it been that long since the defeat of Ares?...or did you forget that I have the power to kill a god" Kratos spoke and watched as Hades straightened up. He called to Kairi and the others.

"Come I'll escort you to coliseum on Olympus…and Hades I wont kill you now because you once helped in the defeat of Ares…Return them to the vault or I will deliver your head personally to Zeus" Kratos warned the Lord of the underworld. Hades would follow those orders; he knew that if he didn't there'd be a help wanted sign hanging on the gates of the underworld.

---------------

"What about Auron?" Kairi asked as they stood at the entrance of the Coliseum. They had arrived there with Hercules who was being patched up a bit by Phil and Megara.

"I'm sure your warrior friend will be fine, Medusa's gaze does not last long on the dead" Kratos assured her when he saw her worried look. Kratos went over to Hercules and gave a curt bow, a mere bend of his neck.

"Son of Zeus" he acknowledged and went of to sit upon his throne once again.

"Strange fellow?" Phil said as he tightened a bandage on Hercules arm. Herc grimaced a little but gave a smile at both Meg and Kairi who looked worried.

"I'm all right…so…Kairi what was it you made a deal with Hades for anyway" he asked.

"I was looking for a door to this world…one of my friends hearts might be in it" She said a little wearily. Xigbar went over to her and ruffled her hair; she frowned up at his smiling face a little but realized he was trying to cheer her up. She returned a faint smile.

"I believe it is my heart that has taken up residence in this world" Vexen stepped up to Kairi pushing Xigbar out of the way, the purple haired, brown eyed man gave the taller man a frown. Kairi blinked up at Vexen as the Keyblade appeared in her hands as if willing to find the door.

"Really?" Are you sure?" The last thing Kairi wanted was to put someone elses heart in someone else's body.

"Yes…if you would please let me see your hand" Vexen held out his hand to grasp Kairi's.

"I'm not sure you remember…but once when you where very young you were playing in a flower field…it had been Evens turn to watch you….and you had come across a large log…you were bitten by a poisons snake…" He said as he looked at the face of her hand that had a faint puncture scare on it. He ran a thumb across it making sure he was not seeing things. Then it must be true. Kairi was the little girl; his true self had known her at a very young age.

"I ummmm…." Kairi slowly began to remember that day also, she remembered herself crying and tall regal Even coming to see her, back then he had worn glasses and his hair was a little darker, not the fair blonde it was now, but his eyes were still that forest green.

"I do" She whispered.

"But there are gaps in it correct" Vexen asked. Kairi nodded, she looked and had not realized that she was sitting on the Coliseum steps a bit away from the others. Demyx had a pouty look on his face and she giggled.

"Hey Kairi I just remembered….there's a key hole thing in the coliseum. Sora had done something to it…come one I'll show you" Hercules declared as he opened the doors.

When he opened it Vexen eyes widened a bit, everyone stared.

The Room was completely covered in ice. The frozen crystals hanging from the ceiling and covering the room.

"What…what's all this?" Phil asked as he slipped on the ice. They heard roars from the Coliseum arena. Vexen walked towards the door.

"VEXEN!" Kairi called fear in her eyes. She heard the screams from the people had been sitting in the stands.

"I know what I Miss Kairi…and I fear I may need your help" He asked as he pulled on her hand, Xigbar shot up and went to grab Kairi away from The Chilly Academic.

"You Freakin nuts man…she could get hurt…after what we just been through I don't think I could go through that again" He said pushing Kairi behind him.

"Xigbar she is the Keyblade master…I understand somewhat of what you are feeling...you want to protect her from every thing…but you must realize she is not the child she once was…she will help me get my heart even if you don't want her too…isn't that right" he saw Kairi mile and nodded at him and could not help but smirk a bit. Xigbar sighed. He had been through this; others would not be allowed to go through that door. It was only Kairi and Vexen now.

"Vexen you better keep her safe," He shook his finger at him and Vexen just nodded as he helped Kairi over the ice covered floor.

"Don't worry" he said to her.

"I'm not" Vexen nodded and found it odd that she was the one reassuring him.

-------------

The Great Ice Titan was there, freezing the ground and the stadiums stands of the Coliseum. Its large form throwing sharp icicles every where. Vexen pulled up his shield and ordered Kairi to get behind him. She did but castes reflect on him as well. He'd have to thank her once he got his heart back.

"**So, you've finally arrived"** There it was, his heartless standing upon the great ice giant, as it blew freezing winds upon the area who tried to run. Vexen frowned. It had the shape and form of his face, but it was made up of darkness and piercing yellow eyes.

"**Oh and it appears that you've brought the Key to Kingdom Hearts also…as you know…that is what we…the Heartless want most of all…as do you..Correct"** It asked as it commanded the Titian to let it down. Stepping from the Titan shoulders it came to stand face to face with Vexen, mouth in an odd smile.

"I've come to retrieve my heart..." Vexen declared shield ready.

The Heartless was then up in front of Kairi with tremendous speed, it raised a white glowed hand and aimed for her chest. She fell back and swung her Keyblade at it, it took that hand off and soon the being was flying to the side as Vexen slammed into it with his shield. He lifted Kairi up by the arm and steadied her, He head splitting flash of light erupted in his vision and he heard Kairi's voice in the distance fading as he fell into his memories.

"_Miss Kairi…oh dear please don't tell me you were bitten?"_ He heard himself ask the weeping child. His mind had determined as quickly as possible that the coloring of the snake was the same as a poisonous one he had seen and read about in a book from the library.

"_oh dear…I have to do something, the castle is miles away, and I cant run all that way with you…Kairi…Miss Kairi please calm down…it will be alright"_ He then bent down to her hand and proceeded to shuck the venom from it spitting it out as quickly as he removed it. He looked at the little girl and watched as she swayed on her feet, her face red with fever.

Scooping her up in his arms he ran towards the large castle, it would take in a little less then two hours to get there, hopefully he had removed majority of the poison.

Vexen jolted awake from his dream he stood and he could see Kairi, she was protecting him with his own shield, she was kneeling next to him the shield raised as the Ice Titan blasted it with ice spears. He saw His Heartless coming from the side towards them, as Kairis attentions was focused else where.

Standing Vexen forced a ball of ice from his hand and threw it at his Heartless. As it flew towards him he ran behind it frosting over his fist.

And as his heartless moved to the side to evade the ball of Ice, Vexen hit his heartless full force in the face with his fist that was covered in ice. Another flash of light blinded him and sent him falling backwards.

"_NO!...Ienzo you can't be serious, Master Ansem told us to discontinue those experiments…we may put people in danger"_

"_Even don't you understand…with this information we will be able to build new worlds with the heart of all worlds…we are so close to finding it"_

"_IENZO ENOUGH!...you have been like a brother to me Ienzo...we have studtied together countless times and have been partners also…I don't want to see you fall into this darkness that Master Ansem informed us of…"_He saw a boy who looked similar to Zexion, but his blue hair was darker and his hair barely covering one eye. He had strong feelings for that boy once; he had strong feelings for Kairi also. He did not wish to see them hurt. And he remembered…it had been Zexion, no Ienzo who had conspired with Xehanort Heartless to open the door and let them all succumb to darkness.


End file.
